contradiction

CONTRADICTIONS

I was doing research into exactly what monolithic film is over and above being referred to in the outdoor industry as a material considered waterproof as well as vapor permeable. The truth is it is waterproof which I knew but moisture can diffuse through it. The process is very, very slow.

One of the reports that I found on the most informative source of information ever the internet was very interesting. It is a report that was done as I later found out about one year ago by a fellow who no longer works for Nemo Equipment Company. It is incredibly informative on the subject of testing of waterproof/vapor permeable films applied to fabrics. I will only present here what I believe are the basic highlights. For those interested in the entire report search “TEST METHODS MEASURING BREATHABILITY”.

I quote;” A variety of test methods have been developed for measuring the breathability of fabrics. Since the environmental conditions, setup, and protocol of each method differ, results from one standard are NOT comparable to that of another.

In particular, the vapor transport properties of hydrophilic monolithic polymers increase as the concentration of water vapor on the membrane side of the fabric increases. The rate of water vapor transport is also affected by air temperature and direction, and amount of wind flow. Since the water vapor condenses on the inside of a garment very quickly there is no transport of moisture through the membrane. If the air temperature is lower than the temperature inside the garment vapor transport does not happen. This applies to single wall tents as well. I will explain later about tents. Italics mine.

The test results supplied by fabric manufacturers are especially unreliable. Although standard protocol is usually followed to some degree, specific conditions under which the tests are conducted and methods for obtaining the final results are often not specified. Manufacturers tend to use test methods and conditions that give the best results for their specific product. Is that a surprise for anyone to know!

Moreover, it is important to realize that even the most carefully selected test performed in the most rigorous manner only approximates (at the very best) performance in the field. Tests are performed on small pieces of fabric in a laboratory, under a limited set of controlled conditions. Even if tests were adopted for field conditions, it would be nearly impossible to take into account every variable including perspiration level, metabolic activity, venting characteristics, available surface area for vapor transport, ground temperature, wind speed and direction, ambient temperature, precipitation level, etc.”

The balance of the paper shows five test methods used.

The fellow who wrote this paper may have been let go and now we can see the contradiction. This company is selling single wall tents that utilize fabric with monolithic film. I spoke with one of the customer service guys and in our conversation he told me that frost build up in the tents was standard. I told him about a company that was started in 1972 Early Winters. Bill Nicolai the owner made the first single wall tent using Gore-Tex which had the same problem. So the contradiction is if you know the material does not perform why use it and hoodwink people into thinking they are getting something they aren’t.

If the temperature is say 30 degrees there will be frost inside the tent on the walls and if it is 45 degrees there will be a rain shower.

After all these years that companies have been hawking their miracle material I am finding more and more proof of its inability to work as they advertise it too do. But as we see there are many companies that are on the miracle material train with in this case tents and others with garments, hand-wear and footwear and they are taking the consumers for a ride.